Corrine, Week 2

This is long…..there is sooo much in her journal that I want to remember!  What a woman!
Elisabeth keeps mentioning us getting ourselves in order and God brings the end product.
Get ourselves in order:
Pg.5 “Let each one of our words and deeds contain a principle of life that…will communicate light and strength and will reveal God to them.”     Pg.7 We must “face action” she says after we’ve drawn strength from God so that we can undertake the “hour by hour work that should belong to every Christian: the moral and material salvation of his brothers.” 
Then she mentions what can end up being my excuse….How can “I” take on the evil and indifference we are facing!  I guess that is the same as Moses and Jeremiah and others …and God’s response is…I will be with you.  Here Elisabeth says “What can be done against evil and indifference by such an obscure creature as I? Nothing of myself, no doubt; but all by and with God.”     BUT we can’t sit and just wait for God to do it.  We have our part to do.

A step is (Pg. 8) “must ask God to fill us with an intense charity…such love could save the world.”  She mentions zeroing in on individuals instead of the masses.  Each human then radiates out to the one next to him and so on…the ripples spread.  The opposite is also true….our sin affects those around us as pointed out in Pope John Paul II Apostolic Exhortation: Reconciliation & Penance…parag. 16 Consequently one can speak of a communion of sin, whereby a soul that lowers itself through sin drags down with itself the church and, in some way, the whole world.           The motto that Elisabeth wrote on her book endpaper: “Every soul that uplifts itself uplifts the world? is in that parag. 16 also "every soul that rises above itself, raises up the world."  No footnote though.  Interesting.

 Pg 10 she states the goal of all human existence – “to do each day, humbly, and so that God alone may see it, all the good that one can do; always to seek out all the misery and grief within reach in order to relieve them; to cultivate in oneself a lively sympathy for everyone; and to do all this for God alone.”  This goal surely takes one who is not selfish and into themselves and the “oh, I’m too worn out”, which I feel guilty of. 

 

Elisabeth says to accomplish this we have to purify and strengthen our soul for many days.  Scripture surely fills her being.  Jesus would go out to the desert to fast for 40 days before a big decision.

New year of 1901 Elisabeth saw need of “gratitude for God’s gifts, a stronger turning to Him, an ardent desire to increase His Kingdom within me.”  I need to tune into the gifts God has given…and express my gratitude for one thing.

 God throws the veil aside:

Again she reiterates……that arguing and lecturing is not the way, but bearing witness as a Christian.  That word “witness” sure has been lost in the past 50 years I think.  And again she expresses….it is God’s doing… “Only God, with a divine gesture, may throw aside this veil, then the true life shall begin for these souls.”

Must work on myself, Elisabeth says (pg 19). “When I have done this, God will do the rest. We pray, suffer, and labor in ignorance of the consequences of our acts and prayers. God makes them serve His supreme plan; gradually they take their effect, winning one soul, then another.”  We have to make sure we have ourselves ready and willing…so our actions and prayers can work into God’s plan.  Work on self but still have eyes open toward others.

 
As far as marriage challenge/s:    My husband is very patient and kind with everyone and goes to Mass on Sundays.  He supports me in my spiritual “high maintenance” needs…adoration, bible studies, daily Mass, other spiritual enrichment.  But him going to those extra things would be like me going to a class on tractor transmissions…..so far anyway.  I think a marriage challenge is…..which is part of my examination of conscience….Philippians 2:3  “Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves.”  That is a life challenge.

Ruth: Discussion Question Week 2

Until I read Elaine's post, I forgot about answering the discussion question for week #2 which was "What do you see as some of the greatest challenges in marriage?)
I guess, off the top of my head, looking at our marriage and that of others, some of the greatest challenges for a Catholic couple would be communications, praying together and growing together.
I am truly blessed to have a faithfilled husband who, like me, has been growing and trying to live the faith all of our married life but there is always room for improvement.

Week 4: Discussion starters

Reading Assignment:

Week 4: October 2, 1905 – End of “July – August 1907″  (p. 51-79)

Discussion Questions:

1. Are there loved ones in your life that push your tolerance beyond normal limits?  How do you ensure that you provide light for them, as opposed to pushing them further into darkness?

2. Feel free to comment on anything from this past week!

Read more: http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2013/08/20/csd-book-club-the-secret-diary-of-elisabeth-leseur-week-4-of-12#ixzz2cX9gFjNz

Lord, may I exercise the loving kindness demonstrated so beautifully by Elisabeth Leseur.  In my effort to more effectively love my neighbor, please allow Your Divine Light to shine through each of my thoughts, words and actions.  Amen.

Read more: http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2013/08/20/csd-book-club-the-secret-diary-of-elisabeth-leseur-week-4-of-12#ixzz2cXA23dRv

http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2013/08/20/csd-book-club-the-secret-diary-of-elisabeth-leseur-week-4-of-12?utm_source=Catholic+Spiritual+Direction&utm_campaign=a2377e723e-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9dd96593f8-a2377e723e-59770569

Ruth: Week 2 reflections

Well I finally finished the readings. I am loving this book. Our previous pastor use to speak about caring for the souls of those we meet each day.  To me, this book is nourishing my soul and reminding me of the Lord's care for each of us even those who appear lost.
Elisabeth is challenging us. On page 5 she write, "We must create in ourselves a "new spirit" the spirit of intelligence and strength; we must renew ourselves and LIVE OUR INTERIOR LIFE WITH INTENSITY."  That last phrase jumped out at me. "We must pray and act."(p5)  This is a Martha & Mary phrase to me... not an either or.

Again on page 7 Elisabeth reminds me of the need to care for souls when she writes, "nothing is so delicate and so sacred as the human soul; nothing so quickly bruised."  Do I pray for each person I encounter each day as our pastor challenged us? Sadly, no, but I do find myself praying for them more than I use to so that is an improvement.

(p7)"To feel God near, to meditate, to pray, to gather all our deepest thoughts so as to reflect on them more deepy: that is to live the inner life, and this inner life is the supreme joy of life. But so many moving thoughts and ardent desires and generous resolutions should be translated into deeds, .... great task lies before us."  This statement reminded me to what our spiritual life should look like and challendge us to do.  (Martha & Mary again.)   Have you ever seen anyone struggling with something or needing something and you think, "I should help" but you don't.  Well that is what game to mind when I read that statement.  Some challenges like running an apostolate can appear big but other things like helping someone carry a bag can look small but both, if done in love, are equally important.

P. 7 at the bottom reminds us that to undertake day by day and hour by hour the work that we are called to do we must have drawn from God the strength, patience and love. And with God we can oversome evil and indeifference.

p. 8) I loved the statement "when we do good, we know not how much good we do."  Reminds me of the ripple effect.  May the Lord fill us with an intense charity to love Him and our neighbor...one neighbor at a time. (p13) "...turn through into action, good will into determination."

I don't want to quote the entire thing but there were part of this weeks reading that renewed and strengthened my call to count with joy the apostolate work that I do. There was the call to daily personal transformation through reading and meditating on scripture reading which I faulter on at times,  and the joy to living a life that invites others to see Jesus through the way we live our lives.  All basic but all shared wtih great love.

I feel the hand of the Lord upon me and joy in my soul as I read these pages. ... challenging yet profoundly filled with intimate love of God and others.

p. 16 "Let us open our hearts to admit all humanity."  called me to ask "Who do I not love? Show me Lord!" ... and help me to find a way to love them.

Time to go pack for our next travel excursion.  Only 6.5 hours this evening so that is easy.  Might not be able to post while visiting but I will try to catch up.

Corrine, week 1, In Memoriam

I read the first third of this book in 2008 on my own and don’t remember what distracted me from continuing. What struck me both times…  (xiv) She never argued with Felix nor spoke to him about her spiritual life…but influenced him by her example. (Our (away from Faith) children are out of town so I space my one sided (usually) discussion to two of them months apart....in email...so the threat isn't right in their face and they can read it and not think they have to respond immediately... Who knows what is correct!) It is amazing how Elisabeth quietly really lived her Christian life and how that eventually opened the eyes of Felix’s soul little by little.  It wasn’t by leaps and bounds like we’d like our loved ones to respond.  

Our example and our persistent  prayer is our job, “He alone will do what must be done, and will bring life to the souls for which we act and pray.”  This reminded me of what I had read in Scripture ….1 Corinthians 3:6   I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.  We can beg God and He does the ‘growing’ for our loved ones outside the Church.  But we have more than the begging to do.  So that we have an exemplary example to give like Elisabeth did…(xx) “when one has the will and calls upon divine grace” we can live an intense spiritual life and practice virtues while living in the world activity.  We have to remember to call on the Holy Spirit and follow Elisabeth’s practice of daily meditating on a passage from Scripture.  She looked to (xxvii) the Eucharist, prayer, self-sacrifice, for the support she needed.  Our interior must be worked on before our exterior example functions properly.  (xxxv) “Every soul that uplifts itself uplifts the world.”   We have to get ourselves into that narrow pathway, headed for that narrow gate, before we can help our loved ones.  We have work to do….on ourselves...on me.

In contrast…….(St. Monica was persistent in prayer, openly shed lots of tears, followed Augustine as he moved from city to city, she also spoke to Augustine about the way he was living, and shared a vision she had about him, and a bishop told her, “simply pray for him to the Lord. He will find out for himself through his reading how wrong these beliefs are…”  St. Monica was very persistent in many ways…but it was also in God’s time that Augustine responded.)

 

May we be persistent in prayer and good example....and know when to speak or not to speak.

Corrine-I think I've figured out a way in to this blog.

post for Carol -- week 2

On pg 5 Elisabeth wrote:  "We must pray and act."  I feel this is a very powerful sentence.

She also stated on that same page: "I want to love with a special love those whose ..... ideas separate them from me."  I find that my own kids have their own ideas about religion most of which I did not teach them.  I pray daily for God to heal my family beginning with me.  He sure has his work cut out for Him!

On pg 6 Elisabeth says a woman often lacks true judgement.  I pray often that I may be able to discern correctly everything I encounter.

Elisabeth warns us to basically guard our soul.  It is extremely vulnerable.  We need to "feel God" (pg 7) in everything we do (by our deeds).  We need an "inner transformation" (pg 8); "we must ask God to fill us with an intense charity."

At the bottom of pg 11 and top of pg 12 Elisabeth lists everything we should do as a woman.  It feels like I do a lot of what she suggests, but I often wonder at what point do my children take advantage of me.  I help raise their children and  help with their finances.  At what point do we as parents say no.  I try to increase my intelligence by reading healthy and inspirational readings such as this book.  I offer everything up in prayer and ask for help from above, always.  I try to stay cheerful and happy; I always end my petition's with "not my will, but Your's be done".

On pg 15 Elisabeth prays "how can one love if one does not love through Thee?"  I feel this is very powerful!

The first and second paragraphs on pg 19 sums up everything I have discussed above.  Elisabeth's life was very much like ours, with trials and tribulations.  Yet she always turns to God.

A copy of the book

I have an extra copy of the book if you know of anyone who wants to purchase it and join us.

Week 3: Discussion starters

Reading Assignment:  Week 3: December 18, 1901 – End of July 4, 1905 (p. 21-51)

Discussion Starters:

1. Do you have loved ones that have left or have never been in communion with the Church?  What has your approach been for leading them Home?

2. Feel free to comment on anything from this past week's readings! What are your reactions to the readings?

Read more: http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2013/08/13/csd-book-club-the-secret-diary-of-elisabeth-leseur-week-3-0f-12#ixzz2cXAbnmC8

http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2013/08/13/csd-book-club-the-secret-diary-of-elisabeth-leseur-week-3-0f-12

Ruth: Week 1 reading ... refections

Well I am finally ready to post. So sorry for not keeping up.  With traveling, not being able to find my book, ordering a new one and now that my allergies make me fall asleep every time I try to read, I have been way behind.
.....About the first week's readings:  I am really excited.   Even thought I have a faith filled husband I can still relate to the need to be a living witness to our awesome Catholic faith.  Elisabeth's way of living out the faith is an example to everyone not that we are all called to live out our faith in the same way.
In the second paragraph it states that, "It is always wonderful and impressive to contemplate the action of God's grace ......and .... the means He employs to guide a man to the path designed for him from the beginning." Right away the phrase "contemplate the action of God's grace" jumped out at me. We know that all is Grace but how often we fail to recongnize it, acknowledge it, etc.   That phrase is a good prayer starter for me.

Elisabeth totally trusted her husband was in God's care and that all her suffering was useful....never wasted.  I am terrible at sticking to days of fasting, etc. so the statement on p. xvii called and challenged my soul. "Renunciation, detachment, voluntary poverty, dislike of the world, sacrifice and forgetfulness of self, acceptance of suffering and utmost chartiy toward God and neighbor are the theme of each one of these pages."  The Lord challenges me in these areas over and over again.  Maybe this book will help me be more focused on that inner calling in some of these areas.
Again on p. xx  I underlined.... "Elisabeth, therefore, living in the world, fulfilled every duty of her state, and her example shows how it is possible, when one has the will and calls upon divine grace, to live an intense spiritual life and to practice the highest evangelical virtues in the midst of outward activity."    I am sure that Elisabeth's daily spiritual reading and meditation on the writings found in the New Testament were foundational to her spiritual life, to living out the faith and to defending and witnessing the faith.
I don't want this posting to be as long as the chapter so I will just close saying that the handling of suffering in the midst of accepting the challenge of living out her apostolate is an inspiring beginning.

Elaine: week 2

WOW!  What a remarkable and insightful woman.  These pages had so much that touched me.

Elisabeth stressed how we need to ban egotism, prejudice, injustice, and hatred.  What a different world we would be living in if that could be accomplished.

She was right on when she said that we must ask God to fill us with intense charity (which is love) for all.  We must remember that every being is important as God does not make junk.

She mentions that we can have all the possessions and wealth in the world, but we would still feel empty and useless without God.

I liked Elisabeth's analogy of the first Disciples mission and our mission.  They were mere men who went out with their message, and look what they accomplished with the help of the Holy Spirit.  We are also to spread God's light.  As Father Bernie said in his homily, we are to go out and set the world on fire.  Mother Teresa's message that in this life we cannot do great things, we can only do small things with great love fits very well here.

Elisabeth valued life and all creation.  With today's abortion issue, we need her message more than ever.  She stated that the dignity of life should be taught and developed in all.

I love her description of unbelievers having a veil between their souls and God.  With our prayers, God will decide when to loosen that veil. 

She had a wonderful description of the Gospels on p. 9.

Discussion question:  The greatest challenge I still face after 41 years of marriage is to be able to listen closely to my spouse without having to comment or to prove my point of view.   My listening skills definitely need honing. 

Elaine (week 1)

What a role model for all of us!  Elisabeth lived her whole life by always being a positive example.
I truly admired her strength in her ability to listen attentively to viewpoints that were so different from her own yet never wavering from her own beliefs and her great love of God.
How can one not be inspired by her humbleness and joyfulness?

Week #2 Discussion Questions

Reading Assignment: Week 2: The Journal, Part I, through end of November 28, 1901 (p. 3-21)

Discussion Questions: (answer only questions you are comfortable with)

1. What do you see as some of the greatest challenges in marriage (and if you’re not married – in relationships in general)?
2. In our first reading, what points about Elisabeth were particularly instructive for you?

3. Feel free to comment on anything from this past week! We are looking forward to reading your insights from this and each chapeter.

Questions originally posted at:
Read more: http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2013/08/06/csd-book-club-the-secret-diary-of-elisabeth-leseur-week-2-of-12#ixzz2bEH09CX3
A reflection is also posted at that site.

Ruth: Update

I am on vacation in Colorado. I will try to respond to your inquiries over the next couple days and my new book should be delivered to my home by the time we arrive home from vacation.  More soon.......

ps:  When you post please start with your name so we can easily see who posts.

Carol: Week 1

I am on fire with this book.  Just reading the first assignment was exciting!  Some of the info that jumped out at me follows.

Elisabeth prayed incessantly for Felix's return to the Faith and for him to practice his religion.  I relate to this as I pray daily for my children to return to the Church and not practice their religion according to their own guidelines, but to follow what they have been taught is correct.  Apparently, they find it too hard to do the right thing.  Elisabeth prayed secretly and never argued or spoke to Felix about the supernatural side of her life.  She lived by example and carried out herself the advice that she gave.  When a child of mine asks for my advice, I find myself making comments about religion, which is a big turn off to them.  I think this book will get me on the right path.  Here is a quote from the book (pg. xiv):  "He alone will do what must be done, and will bring life to the souls for which we act and pray."  I believe this sums everything up!!!

Felix states on that same page "God heard the constant prayer that it concealed and, when the sacrifice was fully accomplished answered it abundantly."  And at the end of that paragraph he states "He let my poor soul hear His voice."  I am a firm believer that God answers all prayers in His time and His own  way.

On pg xv, Felix states:  "Strictly speaking, Elisabeth's Journal is the history of a soul, noting the principal stages of its evolution, a kind of examination of conscience set down by hand at odd moments."  I think this one sentence really sums up what this book is all about.

A few other thoughts that jumped out at me are:

pg. xvii:  Elisabeth sought holiness while living in the world.
pg. xx:  All her moral being was rooted in God.
pg. xxiii:  Thanks to Divine Providence, the very work that I (Felix) thought would accomplish my (Felix)                      hateful object brought about its ruin.
pg. xxxi:  When Providence prefers to work by means of suffering I (Elisabeth) think we should not complain                too much.  In hours of trial certain graces are obtained for others.

Week #1: Discussion Questions and notes

Reading Assignment:     Week 1 (Begins Aug. 11):  In Memoriam, by Felix Leseur (p. xiii – xliii)

Discussion Questions for next week:

1. Have you read this book before? 
2. What are your initial thoughts about reading this book.
3. Any comments you’d like to share as we get started?

I lost my original copy of the book and my new copy did not arrive before I left yesterday for vacation. PLEASE post on Week 1 readings this week and know that I wil catch up.


Below is a link to another site that is ALSO blogging on this book is........  They are about 3 weeks ahead of us.  I was slower getting this going than anticipated and had hoped to be on the same schedule as they are but it did not work. ... I will be using their discussion questions.

Read more: http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2013/07/30/csd-book-club-announcing-our-next-book-the-secret-diary-of-elisabeth-leseur#ixzz2bEITDy5W

http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2013/07/30/csd-book-club-announcing-our-next-book-the-secret-diary-of-elisabeth-leseur

I just got my book this morning but have been too busy to read.  Will start tomorrow.  I am all fired up from just reading the small blurb about it.  Can't wait!!!

Join us! Sign up to become an "author" today!

So far we have 4 "authors"/ bloggers who will be doing this study.  If you would like to participate please contact me ASAP to become an "author" and obtain a copy of the book.  Also invite your friends to participate.  We will start blogging next week but if you don't have your book by then you can "catch up" when you can.  May this study help us on our faith journey.

Our Schedule

We will begin this study the week of August 11, 2013.  Please do not post on sections ahead of schedule but if you fall behind just post when you can. (It might take you a week or two to purchase the book. Join us when you can.)
This is not to add stress to your life but to strengthen our walk of faith in our Lord.  When you post, please put the Week # at the beginning of your post so the readers know what section you are posting on.
I suggest that you don't read the posts of others until you write your own so that each readers post theirs own thoughts and inspirations.
So, beginning the week of August 11, this is our schedule.....

Week 1: In Memoriam, by Felix Leseur (p. xiii – xliii) Week 2: The Journal, Part I, through end of November 28, 1901 (p. 3-21) Week 3: December 18, 1901 – End of July 4, 1905 (p. 21-51) Week 4: October 2, 1905 – End of “July – August 1907″  (p. 51-79) Week 5: August 23, 1907 – End of March 17, 1911 (p. 80-106) Week 6: April 9, 1911 – End of February 20, 1913 (p. 106-133) Week 7: Holy Thursday, March 20, 1913 – End of Spiritual Testament (p. 133-145) Week 8: Daily Thoughts (1899-1906) (p. 147-187) Week 9: A Call to the Interior Life – End of Litany to Obtain a Conversion (p. 189-208) Week 10: Monthly Spiritual Retreat – End of Preface to the Little Treatises on Hope and Peace (p. 209-234) Week 11: The Little Treatise on Hope – End of Seek and Follow Your Vocation (p. 235-262) Week 12: Nourish Your Soul with Holy Communion – End of Book (p. 262-290) Happy Reading!

Welcome!

If you have decided to join this blog, please introduce yourself.  Tell us what state you are from, if you have ever read this book, why you are interested in this blog and/or whatever else you want to share.
May the Spirit lead and guide us.

Join us!

A blog that I follow is reading The Secret Diary of Elisabeth Leseur for their Book Club.  I am joining them but thought it might be beneficial to get a few friends together to also blog on the book.  Do you want to join us?  If so, purchase the book, read it and post your comments and questions.  No experts are allowed but all are invited to share and grow in the faith with us.  We will be starting the week of August 12, 2014.  The book should be available through your local Catholic bookstore or online through  your favorite book vendor.

What Are We Currently Reading?

THE SECRET DIARY OF ELIZABETH LESEUR The following was taken from the back of the book: The Remarkable Writings of an Apostle of Faith in a World of Unbelief This inspiring book gives you a splendid example of how to live as a Christian in a secular environment that can be indifferent or hostile to your Faith.  For Elisabeth Leseur had two great loves: God and her husband, Felix.  Felix loved Elisabeth as well; yet to their mutual sorrow, he couldn’t share the life of the Spirit that Elisabeth cherished. Occasionally the happiness of their life together in upper-class Parisian society was shattered by Felix’s frustration and impatience.  How could such an intelligent woman waste her time, as he saw it, with ignorant superstitions?  Sometimes he and his friends would even ridicule and mock her faith. But Elisabeth loved Felix too much to allow their home to degenerate into an emotional war zone.  She realized that confrontations and arguments were useless; she chose instead to keep quiet and pray for Felix.  In her secret diary, which you now hold in your hands, she recorded how she used his efforts to destroy her faith as means to grow in love for him and for God. Throughout their life together, it grieved Elisabeth to think that Felix might be separated from her for all eternity because of his rejection of God.  For her, life in Heaven wouldn’t be happy without him.  Yet when she died prematurely, Felix was still an unbeliever. The story doesn’t end there.  When Felix found this diary, he discovered how Elisabeth’s whole life borne witness to the truth of the God she loved. In time, Felix was transformed by the diary and his memories of Elisabeth.  He became a Christian and, later, a priest.  Now she may even be declared a saint.  Elisabeth’s diary and spiritual writings (all included in this one volume) map out for you a path to marital harmony and greater love for God – especially if you love someone who stands outside the Faith.  Let Elisabeth’s two great loves, and her faith and perseverance, inspire you now.